London

- seat of central government - comercial ad cultural centre- architecturaly influeced by Sir Christopher Wren and John Nash- population of about 7 million inhabitants, they mostly live in the suburs

a) THE CITY OF LONDON

- the oldest part of the town- Eastend with docks situated - Westend – cinemas, theatres and shops- Tower of London – built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century; it used to be a royal palace and a prison, but it is a museum now (Bloody Tower, Crown Jewels, Beefeaters, Traitors‘ Gate, the Ceremony of Keys)- Tower Bridge- exhibitions in the towers, it breaks in the middle - St Paul’s Cathedral – built by SirWren between 1675 and 1710 and it’s considered to be his greatest work, marriages- The Monument – commemorates the Great Fire of London, has 311 steps, view- Interational finance centre

b) THE CITY OF WESTMINSTER

- centre of political and administrative life in GB- The Houses of Parliament – on the left bank of Thames, rebuilt in the Gothic style` only Westminster Hall is original, visitors can go to hear debates when the Parliament is in session- Big Ben – clock tower built in 1858; called by Sir Benjamin Hall; 97 metres high- Westminster Abbey – many kings were buried and crowned here, Poet’s Corner- Buckingam Palace – home of the Queen, opened to the public since 1993, chnaging of the guards and Horse Guards in te Whitehall- No. 10, Downing Street – official residence of the Prime Minister from 1715- Dickens House- Trafalgar Sq. – Nelson’s Column, National and Tate Gallery- New Scotland Yard

SHOPPING AND INTERTAINMENT

- shopping streets in West End – Oxford Str., Regent Str., Bond Str., Piccadilly- Convent Garden – famous fruit and vegetable market- About 100 theatres in the city – The National Theatre (Royal Shakespeare Company), Barbican Centre, Globe Theatre, Royal Opera House, Royal Albert Hall…- The British Museum, the Natural History Museum..- Hyde Park – originally hunting forest, Speakers’ Corner on the north-east- Kensington Gardens, the Regents {ark (ZOO), Kew Gardens, Green Park and St. James Park